What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Skin ConditioningSodium Lauroyl Methyl Isethionate
CleansingCocamidopropyl Betaine
Cleansing
Disodium Laureth Sulfosuccinate
CleansingSodium Lauryl Sulfoacetate
CleansingGlycerin
Humectant
Panthenol
Skin Conditioning
Helianthus Annuus Seed Oil
Emollient
Ethyltrimonium Chloride Methacrylate/Hydrolyzed Wheat Protein Copolymer
Phyllostachys Nigra Leaf Extract
Skin ConditioningHydrolyzed Wheat Protein
Skin ConditioningAmodimethicone/Morpholinomethyl Silsesquioxane Copolymer
Hydrolyzed Vegetable Protein Pg-Propyl Silanetriol
Skin ConditioningTrideceth-5
EmulsifyingPEG-150 Pentaerythrityl Tetrastearate
Emulsifying
Quaternium-95
UV AbsorberPPG-2 Hydroxyethyl Cocamide
Emulsifying
Guar Hydroxypropyltrimonium Chloride
Skin ConditioningPropanediol
Solvent
Pentaerythrityl Tetra-Di-T-Butyl Hydroxyhydrocinnamate
Antioxidant
Potassium Sorbate
Preservative
Disodium EDTA
Sodium Chloride
MaskingLactic Acid
Buffering
Ethylhexylglycerin
Skin ConditioningCitric Acid
Buffering
Benzyl Alcohol
Perfuming
Linalool
Perfuming
Hexyl Cinnamal
Perfuming
Benzyl Salicylate
Perfuming
Citronellol
Perfuming
Phenoxyethanol
Preservative
Parfum
Masking
CI 16035
Cosmetic ColorantCI 42090
Cosmetic ColorantWater, Sodium Lauroyl Methyl Isethionate, Cocamidopropyl Betaine, Disodium Laureth Sulfosuccinate, Sodium Lauryl Sulfoacetate, Glycerin, Panthenol, Helianthus Annuus Seed Oil, Ethyltrimonium Chloride Methacrylate/Hydrolyzed Wheat Protein Copolymer, Phyllostachys Nigra Leaf Extract, Hydrolyzed Wheat Protein, Amodimethicone/Morpholinomethyl Silsesquioxane Copolymer, Hydrolyzed Vegetable Protein Pg-Propyl Silanetriol, Trideceth-5, PEG-150 Pentaerythrityl Tetrastearate, Quaternium-95, PPG-2 Hydroxyethyl Cocamide, Guar Hydroxypropyltrimonium Chloride, Propanediol, Pentaerythrityl Tetra-Di-T-Butyl Hydroxyhydrocinnamate, Potassium Sorbate, Disodium EDTA, Sodium Chloride, Lactic Acid, Ethylhexylglycerin, Citric Acid, Benzyl Alcohol, Linalool, Hexyl Cinnamal, Benzyl Salicylate, Citronellol, Phenoxyethanol, Parfum, CI 16035, CI 42090
Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Juice
Skin Conditioning
Water
Skin ConditioningSodium Coco-Sulfate
Cleansing
Sodium Laurylglucosides Hydroxypropylsulfonate
CleansingDecyl Glucoside
Cleansing
Argania Spinosa Kernel Oil
Emollient
Cedrus Atlantica Bark Oil
Masking
Citrus Aurantifolia Oil
Cleansing
Citrus Aurantium Dulcis Peel Oil
Masking
Citrus Limon Peel Oil
Masking
Citrus Grandis Peel Oil
Masking
Eucalyptus Globulus Leaf Oil
Perfuming
Helianthus Annuus Seed Oil
Emollient
Juniperus Virginiana Oil
Masking
Orbignya Oleifera Seed Oil
Emollient
Rosmarinus Officinalis Leaf Oil
Masking
Simmondsia Chinensis Seed Oil
Emollient
Zingiber Officinale Root Oil
Masking
Avena Sativa Kernel Extract
Abrasive
Calendula Officinalis Flower Extract
Masking
Chamomilla Recutita Flower Extract
Masking
Chenopodium Quinoa Seed
Abrasive
Citrus Grandis Fruit Extract
Astringent
Daucus Carota Sativa Root Extract
Skin Conditioning
Persea Gratissima Fruit Extract
EmollientRubus Idaeus Fruit Extract
AstringentSerenoa Serrulata Fruit Extract
Skin Conditioning
Solanum Lycopersicum Fruit
EmollientBiotin
AntiseborrhoeicNiacinamide
Smoothing
Tocopheryl Acetate
Antioxidant
Babassu Oil Polyglyceryl-4 Esters
Surfactant
Beta-Caryophyllene
Masking
Citric Acid
Buffering
Coco-Glucoside
Cleansing
Glycerin
Humectant
Glyceryl Oleate
Emollient
Inulin
Skin Conditioning
Sodium Chloride
MaskingSodium Phytate
Sodium Sulfate
Alcohol
Antimicrobial
Benzyl Alcohol
Perfuming
Potassium Sorbate
Preservative
Sodium Benzoate
Masking
Limonene
Perfuming
Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Juice, Water, Sodium Coco-Sulfate, Sodium Laurylglucosides Hydroxypropylsulfonate, Decyl Glucoside, Argania Spinosa Kernel Oil, Cedrus Atlantica Bark Oil, Citrus Aurantifolia Oil, Citrus Aurantium Dulcis Peel Oil, Citrus Limon Peel Oil, Citrus Grandis Peel Oil, Eucalyptus Globulus Leaf Oil, Helianthus Annuus Seed Oil, Juniperus Virginiana Oil, Orbignya Oleifera Seed Oil, Rosmarinus Officinalis Leaf Oil, Simmondsia Chinensis Seed Oil, Zingiber Officinale Root Oil, Avena Sativa Kernel Extract, Calendula Officinalis Flower Extract, Chamomilla Recutita Flower Extract, Chenopodium Quinoa Seed, Citrus Grandis Fruit Extract, Daucus Carota Sativa Root Extract, Persea Gratissima Fruit Extract, Rubus Idaeus Fruit Extract, Serenoa Serrulata Fruit Extract, Solanum Lycopersicum Fruit, Biotin, Niacinamide, Tocopheryl Acetate, Babassu Oil Polyglyceryl-4 Esters, Beta-Caryophyllene, Citric Acid, Coco-Glucoside, Glycerin, Glyceryl Oleate, Inulin, Sodium Chloride, Sodium Phytate, Sodium Sulfate, Alcohol, Benzyl Alcohol, Potassium Sorbate, Sodium Benzoate, Limonene
Ingredients Explained
These ingredients are found in both products.
Ingredients higher up in an ingredient list are typically present in a larger amount.
Benzyl Alcohol is an aromatic alcohol with several roles: it's a preservative, solvent, and mild fragrance component with a floral scent.
This ingredient has been deemed safe for use in cosmetic formulations at concentrations up to 5%, and up to 10% in hair dyes. You'll typically see 0.5-2% in most rinse-off or leave-on products.
As a preservative, it works by disrupting the membrane of microbial proteins. This helps keep bacteria and fungi from growing in your products.
The sensitization picture is actually quite assuring as well:of nearly 71,000 patients patch tested with benzyl alcohol, only 0.21% showed a positive reaction with most of them being weakly positive.
This led researchers to conclude that benzyl alcohol cannot be regarded as a significant contact allergen.
It is worth noting this ingredient is classified as one of the EU's regulated fragrance allergens and restricted to 1% in finished products.
Labels must also declare it in concentrations above 0.001% in leave-on products and 0.01% in rinse-off products.
At concentrations around 5%, localized redness and itching can appear as a direct irritant response and not as a true allergic reaction.
Learn more about Benzyl AlcoholCitric Acid is an alpha hydroxy acid (AHA) naturally found in citrus fruits like oranges, lemons, and limes.
Like other AHAs, citric acid can exfoliate skin by breaking down the bonds that hold dead skin cells together. This helps reveal smoother and brighter skin underneath.
However, this exfoliating effect only happens at high concentrations (20%) which can be hard to find in cosmetic products.
Due to this, citric acid is usually included in small amounts as a pH adjuster. This helps keep products slightly more acidic and compatible with skin's natural pH.
In skincare formulas, citric acid can:
While it can provide some skin benefits, research shows lactic acid and glycolic acid are generally more effective and less irritating exfoliants.
Most citric acid used in skincare today is made by fermenting sugars (usually from molasses). This synthetic version is identical to the natural citrus form but easier to stabilize and use in formulations.
Read more about some other popular AHA's here:
Learn more about Citric AcidGlycerin (or glycerol) is a compound naturally found in your skin. It's a powerhouse humectant that pulls water into the stratum corneum.
Topically, glycerin does several things at once:
Your skin makes glycerin on its own (mostly from sebaceous oil breakdown) and shuttles it to your outermost layer of skin, or your epidermis, via aquaporin-3.
Aquaporin-3 is a transporter that is essential for normal skin hydration, elasticity, and repair. Interestingly, mice lacking in AQP3 have dry and less elastic skin that can be fully corrected with glycerin.
This ingredient is non-irritating, plays well with almost every ingredient, and works across all skin types. Typical use is anywhere between 3-10% but can go up to 79% in some leave-on products.
Just know very high concentrations (>40%) can feel tacky in low humidity.
Glycerin is the name for this ingredient in American English. British English uses Glycerol/Glycerine.
Learn more about GlycerinHelianthus Annuus Seed Oil is a plant oil derived from the seeds of a sunflower.
It is rich in fatty acids, primarily linoleic acid and oleic acid. This gives it emollient and skin conditioning properties.
The reason this ingredient is so effective is because it forms a thin film on the skin that reduces transepidermal water loss (TEWL) while supplying linoleic acid to the stratum corneum to improve barrier strength.
The high linoleic acid content is particularly noteworthy for acne-prone skin.
Research suggests that acne-prone skin tends to be deficient in linoleic acid in sebum. Topical application may help replenish this to support a healthier follicular environment and less comedone-promoting sebum.
One randomized study found sunflower seed oil preserved skin barrier integrity in adult volunteers with and without atopic dermatitis (outperforming olive oil).
This ingredient is well-studied, gentle, and an effective emollient suitable for most skin types.
On fungal acne: This ingredient may not be Fungal acne (Malassezia folliculitis) safe. This is because it contains fatty acids with carbon chain lengths in the C11-C24 range.
Learn more about Helianthus Annuus Seed OilPotassium Sorbate is a preservative used to prevent yeast and mold in products. It is commonly found in both cosmetic and food products.
This ingredient comes from potassium salt derived from sorbic acid. Sorbic acid is a natural antibiotic and effective against fungus.
Both potassium sorbate and sorbic acid can be found in baked goods, cheeses, dried meats, dried fruit, ice cream, pickles, wine, yogurt, and more.
You'll often find this ingredient used with other preservatives.
Learn more about Potassium SorbateChances are, you eat sodium chloride every day. Sodium Chloride is also known as table salt. This ingredient has many purposes in skincare: thickener, emulsifier, and exfoliator.
You'll most likely find this ingredient in cleansers where it is used to create a gel-like texture. As an emulsifier, it also prevents ingredients from separating.
You might see people debate whether Sodium Chloride is comedogenic, but there actually haven't been any comedogenic tests done on it. Either way, the overall formulation of a product matters a lot more than any single ingredient.
You might see this ingredient used in scrubs as a primary exfoliating ingredient.
Learn more about Sodium ChlorideWater. It's the most common cosmetic ingredient of all. You'll usually see it at the top of ingredient lists, meaning that it makes up the largest part of the product.
So why is it so popular? Water most often acts as a solvent - this means that it helps dissolve other ingredients into the formulation.
You'll also recognize water as that liquid we all need to stay alive. If you see this, drink a glass of water. Remember to stay hydrated!
Learn more about Water
